Let’s remember that children are the ones who are suffering, and will continue to suffer, until the fighting stops.

A man sits in a hospital near two children whom activists say were affected by nerve gas in the Duma neighbourhood of Damascus. (Aug. 21, 2013).

By:Dave Toycen Published on Fri Aug 23 2013

Like millions of Canadians, I’ve watched in horror over the past several days as reports have filtered out from Syria of an alleged attack using chemical weapons on civilians. Pictures of the corpses of children said to have been killed in the attack have filled TV and social media as the latest chapter in Syria’s agonizing collapse unfolds. The UN now estimates that at least 1 million children, most under the age of 11, have now fled the conflict along with their families to neighbouring countries such as Jordan and Lebanon. These new arrivals are placing an almost unbearable strain on the resources of these countries.

But most of all, there’s pain. I can’t stop thinking of Bandar, a 12-year-old Syrian refugee who was living with his extended family in a dirty garage in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. When I met him in June, he sat in silence as his uncles and parents competed with each other to tell their stories. Suddenly, he burst into tears and began to sob uncontrollably. Through our World Vision interpreter, the boy told us that he cried because he heard us speaking English, which was a language he was learning in school in Syria. After proudly showing us his ability to count to eight in English, Bandar cried again as he describe how much he missed school and his friends. There was little in the way of comfort that I or anyone else could offer him.

What should we, as Canadians, do to help Bandar and thousands of other Syrian refugee children? After more than 40 years as an aid worker, I’ve come to believe that people react in a number of ways when it comes to humanitarian crises. We can let cynicism take control, and switch off our emotions. We can ignore the problem, shrug our shoulders and say “it’s not my concern.” Or, we can seize opportunities to save lives and keep hope alive among Syrian refugees.

Simply put, Canadians have a choice. We can be part of the solution and not part of the problem. Here are three things you can do today:

Write an email or letter to your MP, urging that Canada keeps working to help end the Syrian crisis. The Government of Canada has generously contributed $148 million to relief efforts so far. But with winter coming and no end to the crisis in site, the problems facing Syrian refugees will only get worse.

Contribute to aid agencies such as World Vision that are on the ground, both inside and outside Syria. By making an investment in children now, we can give them tools and opportunities that will help them for the rest of their lives.

And if you’re inclined to do so, I urge you to pray for the people of Syria and for an end to this conflict. As many refugees have told me, the knowledge that someone cares and is praying for them gives them comfort.

While there are no easy answers to the political and military problems facing the Syrian people, one thing is certain. If people like us don’t care, nothing will change and there will be little hope for the next generation of Syrian children. Let’s remember that children are the ones who are suffering, and will continue to suffer, until the fighting stops.

Dave Toycen is president and CEO of World Vision Canada.

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